Marquette man faces meth lab charges

January 29, 2013

MARQUETTE - A Marquette man was arraigned Monday on two counts of operating and maintaining a methamphetamine laboratory.

Gregory Retaskie Jr., 22, is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in Marquette County District Court at 10:45 a.m. Feb. 11. The felony charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

Marquette City Police arrested Retaskie Monday on an outstanding meth lab warrant, after they were called to 2218 Presque Isle Ave. at 12:10 a.m. on a report of an assault in progress.

Article Photos

RETASKIE

When police arrived, they were directed to an upstairs apartment. They discovered a 19-year-old female who was in medical distress and in need of immediate medical care.

Police said Retaskie was also in the room and is the woman's boyfriend. Police said Retaskie told them the woman had stopped breathing at one point and needed to be revived by him. Marquette General Hospital EMS personnel attended to the woman and took her to the hospital for treatment. No new information was available from police on her condition.

Police said the assault complaint was unfounded and was determined to have been Restaskie's attempt to revive his girlfriend.

Police said suspected drug paraphernalia was found in the room in plain sight. They immediately cleared the residence for safety and called the Upper Peninsula Substance Enforcement Team for assistance.

A search warrant was sought for the residence, which was authorized by the Marquette County Prosecuting Attorney's Office and a judge of the Marquette County District Court.

UPSET personnel arrived at the residence and police searched the residence, finding meth lab components in the bedroom and seized those items for evidence and safety.

Police said Retaskie had a valid arrest warrant out for him from a previous investigation for operating and maintaining a meth lab. He was arrested on that warrant and lodged in the Marquette County Jail.

He was also jailed for the meth components police found in the residence. Court staff said Retaskie was arraigned Monday on that matter for the second meth lab charge.